Volunteers of the Week: A fond farewell to Eastham’s Ryders

Phil and Charlotte Ryder have spent the last week or so bidding farewell to their many friends at the Eastham Historical Society, as their lives are taking a turn to the south.

The Ryders will be moving to South Carolina later this month, and the Eastham Historical Society paid tribute to the couple that has served the organization for a combined 50-plus years. They leave confident that the society will be fine without them.

“Never I have seen such an active board of directors and committees running all sorts of programs and activities,” Phil said. “It’s in great hands.”

At the last board of directors meeting, the couple was presented with several gifts. “Wow, this is like Christmas!” Phil gushed.

Charlotte was presented with a certificate for her efforts in the floats for the Windmill Weekend parade. It read: “Great Idea Award, presented to Charlotte Ryder, for designing and creating a first class-first place float for the Eastham Historical Society to display in the 2010 Eastham Windmill Weekend Parade.”

What marvels both Charlotte and Phil is how far the group has come since they’ve joined. Charlotte first hooked up with the all-volunteer organization, founded in 1963, during the 1980s. Phil, at Charlotte’s urging, joined in 1992.

They’ve been regulars at the Eastham Historical Society ever since.

“I remember sitting in the basement of town hall and we would go through all these old papers, archival stuff, and we didn’t know what we were doing,” Charlotte recalled, noting that she also served as a docent at the 1869 Schoolhouse Museum. “Things were so simplified, and there wasn’t that much interest then.”

While serving as a docent, Charlotte often worked with Howard Brewer, who, in his youth, was a student at the old schoolhouse. She also conducted several oral history interviews with iconic Eastham figures of the 20th century, including the likes of Don Sparrow, Art Nickerson, and Maurice Moore, among others.

Phil is particularly proud of the work done in adding the new wing to the Schoolhouse Museum in 2008, and the acquisition of the Dill Beach Camp.

“That was quite an accomplishment,” he said of the former Coast Guard Beach camp, which now sits between the Eastham Post Office and the Swift-Daley House after it survived the “Blizzard of ’78.”

“I’m glad we could do that, but restoring the property here (at the Schoolhouse) was great. A lot of work by a lot of people.”

Both Phil and Charlotte have lived down south before, and maybe their input there could lead to more interest in history. She had asked around about any historical societies, but came up empty. “After the war, there was nothing left,” she was told.

Unfortunately for the Eastham Historical Society, the Ryders’ move to Dixie will be permanent, so when it comes to adding some spice to the parade, it will be someone else’s job.

“Come back next year and organize another float,” Charlotte was urged.

“No, no more floats,” she replied.

When the next parade comes around, or the next gathering at the Schoolhouse, or whatever else the Eastham Historical Society indulges in, the Ryders will be missed.

“There’s a new generation involved, and what you’ve done is a wonderful thing,” Charlotte said. “I’m sorry we have to leave it all. You have been such a joy, all of you.”

Don Wilding’s weekly column, Volunteer of the Week, profiles volunteers for nonprofits and other organizations on the Lower and Outer Cape. Don can be reached via email at donwilding@gmail.com.